Latest / Adventure Books Collection / 08 - Gulliver's Travels - Jonathan Swift
Transcript
- Chapter eight, the author, by a lucky accident, finds means to leave Lefisque, and after some difficulties, returned safe to his native country. Three days after my arrival, walking out of curiosity to the northeast coast of the island, I observed about half a league off in the sea, somewhat that they looked like a boat overturned. I pulled off my shoes and stockings, and wailing two or three hundred yards, I found the object to approach nearer by force of the tide, and then plainly saw it to be a real boat, which I supposed might, by some tempest, have been driven from a ship. Whereupon I returned immediately towards the city, and desired his Imperial Majesty to lend me twenty of his tallest vessels he had left after the loss of his fleet and three thousand seamen. Under the command of his vice admiral. This fleet sailed round while I went back the shortest way to the coast where I first discovered the boat. I found the tide had driven it still nearer. The seamen were all provided with cordage, which I had beforehand twisted to a sufficient strength. When the ships came up, I stripped myself and waited till I came within a hundred yards off the boat, after which I was forced to swim till I got up to it. The seamen threw me the end of the cord, which I fastened to a hole in the fore part of the boat, and at the other end to a man of war. But I found all my labor to little purpose. For being out of my depth, I was not able to work in this necessity. I was forced to swim behind and push the boat forward as often as I could with one of my hands, and the tide favoring me, I advanced so far that I could just hold up my chin and feel the ground. I rested two or three minutes, and then gave the boat another shove, and so on till the sea was no higher than my armpits. And now the most laborous part being over, I took out my other cables, which were stowed in one of the ships, and fastened them first to the boat and then to the nine vessels which attended me. The wind being favorable, the seaman towed and I shoved until we arrived within forty yards of the shore, and waiting till the tide was out. I got dry to the boat, and by assistance of two thousand men with ropes and engines, I made a shift to turn it on its bottom, and found it was but little damaged. I shall not trouble the reader with the difficulties I was under, by the help of certain paddles, which cost me ten days making to get my boat to the royal port of Lefuscue, where a mighty concourse of people appeared upon my arrival. Full of wonder at the sight of so prodigious a vessel, I told the Emperor that my good fortune had thrown this boat in my way to carry me to some place whence I might return into my native country, and begged His Majesty's orders forgetting materials to fit it up, together with his license to depart, which after some kind expostulations, he was pleased to grant. I did very much wonder in all this time not to have heard of any express relating to me from our Emperor to the court of Blefuscue. But I was afterward given privately to understand that his Imperial Majesty, never imagining I had the least notice of his designs believed I was only gone to Blefuscue in performance of my promise according to the license he had given me, which was well known at our court, and would return in a few days when this ceremony was ended. But he was at last in pain at my long absence, and after consulting with the treasurer and the rest of that cable, a person of quality was dispatched with the copy of the articles against me. This envoy had instructions to represent to the Monarch of Blefuscue the great lenienity of his master, who was content to punish me no farther than with the loss of mine eyes, that I had fled from justice, and if I did not return when two hours, I should be deprived of my title of no and declared a traitor. The envoy further added that, in order to maintain the peace and amity between both empires, his master expected that his brother of Blefiscue would give orders to have me sent back to Lilliput, bound hand and foot, to be punished as a traitor. The Emperor of Bleffiscue, having taken three days to consult, returned an answer consisting of many civilities and excuses. He said that as for sending me bound, his brother knew it was impossible. That although I had deprived him of his fleet, yet he owed great obligations to me for many good offices I had done him in making the peace. That, however, both their majesties would soon be made easy, for I had found a bridge's vessel on the shore able to carry me on the sea, which he had given orders to fit up with my own assistance and direction, and he hoped in a few weeks both empires would be freed from so insupportable an encumbrance. With this answer, the EMPI, where it turned to Lilliput, and the Monarch of Lefiskie, related to me all that had passed, offering me at the same time, but under the strictest confidence his gracious protection, if I would continue in his service, wherein, although I believed him sincere, yet I resolved never more to put any confidence in princes or ministers where I could possibly avoid it. And therefore, with all due acknowledgments for his favorable intentions, I humbly begged to be excused. I told him that since fortune, whether good or evil, had thrown a vessel in my way. I was resolved to venture myself on the ocean, rather than be an occasion of difference between two such mighty monarchs. Neither did I find the Emperor at all displeased, and I discovered by a certain accident that he was very glad of my resolution, and so were most of his ministers. These considerations moved me to hasten my departure somewhat sooner than I intended to whish. The court, impatient to have me gone, very readily contributed. Five hundred workmen were employed to make two sails to my boat according to my directions, by quilting thirteen folds of their strongest linen together. I was at the panes of making ropes and cables by twisting ten twenty or thirty of the thickest and strongest of theirs. A great stone that I happened to find after a long search by the sea shore, served me for an anchor. I had the tallow of three hundred cows for greasing my boat and other uses. I was at incredible pains in cutting down some of the largest timber trees for oars and masts, wherein I was, however, much assisted by his Majesty's ship carpenters, who helped me in smoothing them. After I had done the rough work in about a month, when all was prepared, I sent to receive His Majesty's commands and to take my leave. The Emperor and royal family came out of the palace. I lay down on my face to kiss his hand, and which he very graciously gave me, so did the Empress and young princes of the blood. His Majesty presented me with fifty purses of two hundred sprugs apiece, together with his picture at full length, which I immediately put into one of my gloves to keep it from being hurt. The ceremonies at my departure were too many to trouble the reader with. At this time I stored the boat with the carcasses of a hundred oxen and three hundred sheep, with bread and drink proportionable, and as much meat ready dressed as four hundred cooks could provide. It took with me six cows and two bulls alive, with as many ewes and rams, intending to carry them into my own country and propagate the breed, and to feed them on board. I had a good bundle of hay and a bag of corn, I would gladly have taken a dozen of the natives, but this was the thing the Emperor would, by no means permit, And besides a diligent search into my pockets, his Majesty engaged my honor not to carry away any of his subjects, although with their own consent and desire. Having thus repaired all things, as well as I was able, I set sail on the twenty fourth day of September seventeen o one at six in the morning, and when I had gone about four leagues to the northward, the wind being at southeast, at six in the evening, I descried a small island about half a league to the northwest. I advanced forward and cast anchor on the lee side of the island, which seemed to be uninhabited. I then took some refreshment and went to my rest. I slept well, and as I conjectured, at least six hours, for I found the day broken two hours after I waked. It was a clear night. I ate my breakfast before the sun was up, and heaving anchor, the wind being favorable, I steered the same course that I had done the day before, wherein I was directed by my pocket compass. My intention was to reach, if possible, one of those islands which I had reason to believe lay to the northeast of and de Amsland. I discovered nothing all that day, But upon the next, about three in the afternoon, when I had, by my computation, made twenty four leagues from Lefuscue, I descried a sail steering to the southeast. My cause was due east. I hailed her, but could get no answer. Yet I found I gained upon her, for the wind slackened. I made all the sail I could, and in half an hour she spied me, then hung out her ancient and discharged a gun. It is not easy to express the joy I was in upon the unexpected hope of once more seeing my beloved country and the dear pledges I left in it. The ship slackened her sails, and I came up with her between five and six in the evening September twenty sixth. But my heart leaped within me to see her English colors. I put my cows and sheep into my coat pockets and got on board with all my little cargo of provisions. The vessel was an English merchantman returning from Japan by the North and South seas. The captain mister John Biddle of Deptford, a very civil man and an excellent sailor. We were now in the latitude of thirty degrees south. There were about fifty men in the ship, and here I met an old comrade of mine, one Peter Williams, who gave me a good character to the captain. This gentleman treated me with kindness and desired I would let him know what place I had come from last and whither I was bound, which I did in a few words. But he thought I was raving, and that the dangers I underwent had disturbed my head. Whereupon I took my black Cathlen sheep out of my pocket, which, after great astonishment, clearly convinced him of my veracity. I then showed him the gold given me by the Emperor of Blefiscue, together with his Majesty's picture at full length, and some other rarities of that country. I gave him two purses of two hundred sprugs each, and promised, when we arrived in England, to make him a present of a cow and sheep big with young I shall not trouble the reader with a particular account of this voyage, which was very prosperous for the most part. We arrived in the Downs on the thirteenth of April seventeen o two. I had only one misfortune that the rats on board carried away one of my sheep. I found her bones in a hole, picked clean from the flesh. The rest of my cattle are got safe ashore and set them a gazing in a bowling green at Greenwich, where the fineness of the grass made them feed very heartily. Though I had always feared the contrary, neither could I possibly preserve them in so long a voyage if the captain had not allowed me Some of his best biscuit, which rubbed a powder and mingled with water, was their constant food. The short time I continued in England, I made a considerable profit by showing my cattle to many persons of quality and others, and before where began my second voyage, I sold them for six hundred pounds. Since my last return, I find the breed is considerably increased, especially the sheep, which I hope would prove much to the advantage of the woolen manufacturer. By the fineness of the fleeces, I stayed but two months with my wife and family, for my insatiable desire of seeing foreign countries would suffer me to continue no longer. I left fifteen hundred pounds with my wife and fixed her a good house in Redriff. My remaining stock are carried with me, part in money and part in goods, in hopes to improve my fortunes. My eldest uncle John had left me in a state in land near Epping of about thirty pounds a year, and I had a long lease of the Black Bull in Fetter Lane, which yielded me as much more so that I was not in any danger of leaving my family. Upon the parish, my son Johnny, named so after his uncle, was at the grammar school and a towardly child. My daughter Better, who is now well married and has children, was then at her needlework. I took leave of my wife and boy and girl, with tears on both sides, and went on board the Adventurer, a merchant ship of three hundred tons bound for Surrat Captain John Nicholas of Liverpool, Commander. But my account of this voyage must be referred to the second part of my travels. End of Part one, chapter eight